Pick for stringed instruments



Sept. 21, 1948. R. c. GARLICK 2,449,890

PICK FOR STRING'ED INSTRUMENTS Filed Oct. 11, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

M116 imfw.

"Ma/QM,

Patented Sept. 21, 1948 a ITED "STATES EN O FF l CE PICKFO'R STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Robert O; Garlick, East Longmeadow, Mass.

Application- October 11, 1945, Serial No. 621,672

2- Claims.

. 1 This invention relates to improvements in picks such as'xused for picking the strings 'of'stringed instruments.

The novel features of the invention are" directed to'the provision of a pick which hasopposite stringengaging endsflof different characteristics for engaging the strings in such a way that different effects are produced. This is accomplished by providing a pick having opposite faces thereof arranged in a diverging relation from an intermediate point to one end thereof so as to form one string engaging point or end which is relatively thinner than the opposite end. The relatively diverging faces while providing th thin edge also provide an end portion for gripping between the fingers,-while' thethicker point is being used-for picking the strings which is relatively more flexible than the other end portion of the pick permitting manipulation of the pick to the extent necessary and desired.

' It iscustomaryior a player to employ'more than one pick; that is for instance one pick for a certain effect and another pick for another effeet which obviously necessitates changing picks at times when it is inconvenient and bothersome.

According to this invention, a pick is provided which has an end portion with relatively tapering surfaces for gripping between the fingers so that the thicker end of the pick ma be drawn across the strings as when playing chords. The portion of the pick gripped between the fingers is more flexible than an opposite end portion thereof so that the desired action on the strings may be varied accordingly as the flexibility of the pick is controlled by the gripping pressure of 1 the fingers. When the opposite end of the ick is gripped between the fingers so as to make the thinner end available for picking the strings successively as when picking a melody th tapering end portion is readily flexible as is desired. Thus not only is there provided relatively thick and thin string engaging ends but the tapering end portion providin the thin end functions to pro-- vide the desired flexible portion.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pick embodying the novel features of the invention; and

Fig; 2 is'a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1. I

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the inventionwill be fully described.

I A pick embodying the novelfeatures of the invention is represented'by'2 which has opposite end portions .4 and B'adapted tobe gripped between the thumb andfinger.

Opposite marginal edges of the pickconverge from a central portion, asshown, to provide opposite ends or points '8 and It] for engaging the strings of a stringed instrument.

Oppos'ite' side facesl of the engageable portion 6" converge from an intermediate portion of the pick. to theJpointfHl as from 'a line l2 in Fig. 1 whereby I the end'porti'on 6" is relatively more flexible? than thejportion 4"and'the stringen'ga'ging point It is relatively thinner than the p'oint'B.

The pick may be made from various materials, such as sheet nitro-cellulose, cellulose acetate and the like and the size thereof will be such as will be convenient for gripping between the fingers of the player.

The thickness of the end portion 4 may be from .030" to .040 to provide a dimension l4 for the point 8 which is within that range. The taper of the end portion 6 will be such as to provide a dimension l6 for the point [0 which is from .010" to .025". In this way the opposite string engaging points are relatively thick and thin.

The tapering end portion 6 may be gripped between the thumb and finger so that the thick point 8 may engage the strings, the said end portion being relatively flexible and more flexible than the end portion 4 the action of the point B may be controlled by controlling the flexibility of the said portion 6 according to the gripping pressure applied thereto. The end portion 4 may be gripped between the thumb and fingers and the end or point l0 used for picking the strings, the tapering end portion 6 being free the flexibility thereof may be utilized to obtain the advantages thereof.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pick for the strings of stringed instruments having diflerent characteristics comprising, a relatively thin flat unitary body made from flexible material having its greatest transverse width at a central portion thereof and opposite side edges of opposite end portions of the pick converging from said central portion thereof providing opposite pointed string engaging ends, opposite side faces of one end portion converging from said central portion outwardly to the pointed end of said portion providing a flexible end portion that is progressively tapering and flexible outwardly from said central portion and the opposite side faces of the other end portion disposed in substantial parallelism from the central portion out- Wardly providing a relatively less flexible end portion, all adapted and arranged whereby when the pointed end of said other relatively less flexible end portion is to be used for picking certain strings the said one flexible end portion may be gripped between the thumb and finger at different distances outwardly from said central portion to obtain different degrees of flexibility and when the pointed end of said one flexible end is to be used for picking certain other relatively less flexible strings said other end portion of the pick may be gripped between the thumb and finger leaving the said one flexible end free for flexing outwardly from said central portion.

2. A pick for the strings of stringed instruments having different characteristics comprising, a relatively thin flat unitary body made from flexible material having its greatest transverse width at a central portion thereof and opposite side edges of opposite end portions of the pick converging from said central portion thereof provlding opposite pointed string engaging ends, opposite side faces of one end portion converging from said central portion outwardly to the pointed end of said portion providing a. flexible end portion that is progressively tapering and flexible outwardly from said central portion and the opposite side faces of the other end portion disposed in substantial parallelism from the central portion outwardly providing a relatively less flexible end portion, all adapted and arranged whereby when the pointed end of said other relatively less flexible end portion is to be used for picking certain strings the said one flexible end portion may be gripped between the thumb and finger at different distances outwardly from said central portion to obtain diflerent degrees of flexibility and when the pointed end of said one flexible end is to be used for picking certain other relatively less flexible strings said other end por- 'tion of the pick may be gripped between the thumb and finger leaving the said one flexible end free for flexing outwardly from said central portion, the pointed end of said one portion having a thickness of .010" to .030" and the pointed end of said other portion having a thickness .025" to .050".

ROBERT C. GARLICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 315,135 Farris Apr. 7, 1885 693,417 Mitchell Feb. 18, 1902 2,170,179 Wolcott Aug. 22, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 1 Number Country Date 194,966 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1923 

